Levels of malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and nitrotyrosine in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C.

Objectives: Oxidative stress is one of the potential biochemical mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis. The aim of the present study was to determine levels of oxidative stress in a large group of chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) patients who had not received antiviral treatment, and to assess the relationship between these parameters and viral load, fibrosis score and necro-inflammation of the liver.

Material And Methods: Two hundred CVH patients and 107 healthy subjects were included in this study. Malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and nitrotyrosine levels were determined.

Results: Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the CVH patients than in the control group (p < 0.05), whereas myeloperoxidase activities were significantly lower (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between nitrotyrosine levels of the patients and the controls (p > 0.05). Additionally, no significant correlation was shown between these markers and viral load, necro-inflammation and fibrosis of the liver in chronic viral hepatitis patients.

Conclusions: The data from this study demonstrate that there is a disturbance in oxidative balance in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, but this imbalance was not correlated with viral load, necro-inflammatory activity or fibrosis of the liver.